Thirty-eight women serve in House

The state House will have 38 women next session.

Nearly two-thirds of the women are from cities with more than 20,000 residents, including a third who represent urban areas in Wake, Mecklenburg and Guilford counties.

Charlotte is the best represented, with five women: Reps. Becky Carney, Martha Alexander, Beverly Earle, Tricia Cotham and Ruth Samuelson. Greensboro has three and Raleigh two.

The women from smaller towns hale from Grifton, Wilkesboro, Louisburg, Emerald Isle, Dallas, Ahoskie, Mocksville, Farmville, Hamlet, Mebane, Mount Airy, Hampstead and Hendersonville. Rep. Linda Coleman is from Knightdale, a close suburb of Raleigh.

Twenty-six of the women are Democrats; 12, Republicans.

The longest serving is Republican Rep. Julia Howard of Mocksville, now in her 11th term, followed by Democratic Reps. Martha Alexander of Charlotte and Maggie Jeffus of Greensboro, now in their ninth terms. Four new women were elected for the first time this year.

The women make up 32 percent of the 120-member House.